Self-evacuating electrocautery device

Abstract

A device for selectively providing electrical energy from an electrosurgical generator for alternatively searing and coagulating tissue of a patient during surgery is provided. The electrocautery device has a blade electrically connected to an electrical cable. The electrocautery device comprises a hollow main body with a vacuum mechanism formed in the hollow main body. At least one intake port is formed in the hollow main body with a vacuum tubing extending into the hollow main body fluidly connecting the intake port. A first button having a first airway opening and a second airway opening selectively activates energy to sear tissue and activates the vacuum mechanism. A second button having a third airway opening selectively activates the electrical energy to coagulate tissue and activates the vacuum mechanism wherein upon depression of the first button, the first airway opening aligns with the third airway opening and wherein upon depression of the second button, the second airway opening aligns with the third airway opening.

1. An electrocautery device for selectively providing electrical energy from an electrosurgical generator for alternatively searing and coagulating tissue of a patient during surgery, the electrocautery device having a blade and an electrical cable, the cable electrically connecting the blade to the electrosurgical generator, the electrocautery device comprising:
 a hollow main body, the hollow main body having a first aperture and a second aperture; 
 vacuum means formed in the hollow main body for selectively providing a vacuum for removing any plume created while searing or coagulating tissue with the blade of the electrocautery device; 
 at least one intake port formed in the hollow main body; 
 a vacuum tubing extending into the hollow main body and fluidly connected to the intake port; 
 a first button positioned within the first aperture of the hollow main body to selectively activate the electrical energy of the electrosurgical generator to sear tissue and to activate the vacuum means upon activation of the electrical energy, the first button having a first airway opening and a second airway opening; and 
 a second button positioned within the second aperture of the hollow main body to selectively activate the electrical energy of the electrosurgical generator to coagulate tissue and to activate the vacuum means upon activation of the electrical energy, the second button having a third airway opening; 
 wherein upon depression of the first button, the first airway opening aligns with the third airway opening to connect the intake port to the vacuum tubing upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum means; and 
 wherein upon depression of the second button, the second airway opening aligns with the third airway opening to connect the intake port to the vacuum tubing upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum means. 
 
   
   
     2. The electrocautery device of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 an electrical contact within the hollow main body, the electrical contact electrically connecting the blade and the electric cable to selectively control the electrical charge to the blade to either sear or coagulate tissue and to activate the vacuum means. 
 
   
   
     3. The electrocautery device of  claim 2  and further comprising:
 a searing/coagulating conducting member adjacent the electrical contact, the searing/coagulating conducting member having a searing portion and a coagulating portion, the searing portion contacting the electrical contact upon depression of the first button, the coagulating portion contacting the electrical contact upon depression of the second button. 
 
   
   
     4. The electrocautery device of  claim 3  wherein the searing/coagulating conducting member functions as a spring to return the first button and the second button to a deactivated position. 
   
   
     5. The electrocautery device of  claim 1  wherein the hollow main body comprises an elongated hollow body having a longitudinal length, a first opening and a second opening, the first opening receiving the blade and the second opening receiving the electrical cable and vacuum tubing. 
   
   
     6. The electrocautery device of  claim 1  wherein the hollow main body includes a plurality of ribs to inhibit movement of the blade and electrical cable, respectively, within the hollow body. 
   
   
     7. An electrosurgical instrument for selectively providing electrical energy from an electrosurgical generator to a patient for searing and coagulation, the electrosurgical instrument having an electrode blade electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator, the instrument comprising:
 a hollow elongated body; 
 a blade receiving opening in the hollow elongated body for receiving the electrode blade; 
 at least one plume intake port formed in the elongated body adjacent the electrode blade; 
 push button activation means mounted within the hollow elongated body for selectively searing or coagulating; and 
 airway means formed in the push button activation means for fluidly connecting each intake port to a vacuum mechanism; 
 wherein the push button activation means includes a first button for selectively activating the electrical energy of the electrosurgical generator to sear tissue and to activate the vacuum means upon activation of the electrical energy, the first button having a first airway opening and a second airway opening; 
 wherein the push button activation means includes a second button for selectively activating the electrical energy of the electrosurgical generator to coagulate tissue and to activate the vacuum means upon activation of the electrical energy, the second button having a third airway opening; and 
 wherein the airway means includes a first airway opening and a second airway opening in the first button and a third airway opening in the second button wherein upon depression of the first button, the first airway button aligns with the third airway opening to connect the intake port to the vacuum mechanism upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum mechanism and wherein upon depression of the second button, the second airway opening aligns with the third airway opening to connect the intake port to the vacuum mechanism upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum mechanism. 
 
   
   
     8. The electrosurgical instrument of  claim 7  and further comprising:
 an electrical contact within the hollow main body, the electrical contact electrically connecting the blade and the electric cable to selectively control the electrical charge to the blade to either sear or coagulate tissue and to activate the vacuum mechanism. 
 
   
   
     9. The electrosurgical instrument of  claim 8  and further comprising:
 a searing/coagulating conducting member adjacent the electrical contact, the searing/coagulating conducting member having a searing portion and a coagulating portion, the searing portion contacting the electrical contact upon depression of the first button, the coagulating portion contacting the electrical contact upon depression of the second button. 
 
   
   
     10. The electrosurgical instrument of  claim 9  wherein the searing/coagulating conducting member functions as a spring to return the first button and the second button to a deactivated position. 
   
   
     11. The electrosurgical instrument of  claim 7  wherein the hollow main body comprises an elongated hollow body having a longitudinal length, a first opening and a second opening, the first opening receiving the blade and the second opening receiving the electrical cable and the vacuum tubing. 
   
   
     12. A method for selectively providing electrical energy from an electrosurgical generator for alternatively searing and coagulating tissue of a patient during surgery, the method comprising:
 providing a hollow main body; 
 connecting a vacuum mechanism to the hollow main body; 
 forming at least one intake port in the hollow main body; 
 positioning an automatically returning first button in the hollow main body, the first button having a first airway opening and a second airway opening; 
 positioning an automatically returning second button in the hollow main body, the second button having a third airway opening; 
 depressing the first button; 
 selectively activating the electrical energy of the electrosurgical generator to sear tissue and to activate the vacuum mechanism upon activation of the electrical energy or depressing the second button for selectively activating the electrical energy of the electrosurgical generator to coagulate tissue and to activate the vacuum means upon activation of the electrical energy; 
 aligning the first airway opening and the third airway to connect each intake port to the vacuum mechanism upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum mechanism; and 
 opening airways in the first button and second button alignable within the hollow main body to connect each intake port to the vacuum mechanism upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum mechanism. 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the first button includes a first airway opening and a second airway opening and the second button includes a third airway opening and further comprising:
 aligning the second airway opening and the third airway opening to connect each intake port to the vacuum mechanism upon activation of both the electrical energy and the vacuum mechanism. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 12  and further comprising:
 mounting an electrical contact within the hollow main body, the electrical contact electrically connecting the blade and the electric cable to selectively control the electrical charge to the blade to either sear or coagulate tissue and to activate the vacuum mechanism.